After a successful limited debut last weekend, "M:I4" opened in wide release at 5 p.m. at about 3,400 locations in the U.S. and Canada. "Dragon Tattoo" premiered two hours later at 2,914 theaters to an A grade from moviegoer research firm Cinemascore.

With that opening time, many theaters were able to show the two-hour-40-minute movie twice, although some only screened it once on Tuesday.

With business slow all through December, exhibitors are hoping for crowds this holiday weekend: On Wednesday, Paramount opens Steven Spielberg's "The Adventures of Tintin." On Friday, Fox premieres its comedy "We Bought A Zoo." DreamWorks opens another Spielberg movie, "War Horse" Sunday.